 Day
in the Life
The hours and days
that physical therapist assistants work vary with the facility. About 23
percent of all physical therapist assistants work part time. Many
outpatient physical therapy offices and clinics have evening and weekend
hours, to coincide with patients' personal schedules.
Physical therapist
assistants should be well-organized, detail oriented, and caring. They
usually have strong interpersonal skills and a desire to help people in
need.
Physical therapist
assistants need a moderate degree of strength because of the physical
exertion required in assisting patients with their treatment. In some
cases, assistants need to lift patients. Frequent kneeling,
stooping, and standing for long periods also are part of the job.
 Some physical therapist assistants
decide to specialize in a clinical
area. They gain expertise in treating a certain type of patient, such as
geriatric or pediatric, or a type of ailment, such as sports injuries.
Many physical therapist assistants advance to administration positions.
These positions might include organizing all the assistants in a large
physical therapy organization or acting as the director for a specific
department such as sports medicine. Other assistants go on to teach in
an accredited physical therapist assistant academic program, lead health
risk reduction classes for the elderly, or organize community activities
related to fitness and risk reduction.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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